Mechanism for monitoring print system energy usage

Abstract

A printer is disclosed. The printer includes one or more sub-components each having a meter to track energy usage at the sub-component during an event and a controller to receive energy usage data accrued at one or more of the meters during the event.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A printer comprising:
 one or more sub-components including:
 a first sub-component having a first meter to track energy usage at the first sub-component during an event; and 
 a second sub-component having a second meter to track energy usage at the second sub-component during the event occurring; and 
 
 a controller to receive energy usage data accrued at the first and second meters during the event and to match energy usage data from the first and second sub-components with event data attributes for assignment of energy usage to the first and second sub-components. 
 
     
     
       2. The printer of  claim 1  wherein the controller distinguishes between energy usage data accrued at the first sub-component and the second sub-component during the event. 
     
     
       3. The printer of  claim 2  wherein the controller comprises a meter to track energy usage at the controller during the event. 
     
     
       4. The printer of  claim 3  wherein the controller calculates total energy usage during the event by combining the energy usage data accrued at the controller, the first sub-component and the second sub-component during the event. 
     
     
       5. The printer of  claim 1  wherein the event is a print job. 
     
     
       6. The printer of  claim 1  further comprising a third sub-component, wherein the third sub-component does not include an electricity meter and wherein the controller tracks energy usage of the third sub-component. 
     
     
       7. A method comprising:
 receiving a first print job at a printer having one or more sub-components each including a meter to track energy usage; 
 tracking energy usage at a first sub-component via a first meter at the first sub-component during an event; 
 tracking energy usage at a second sub-component via a second meter at the second sub-component during the event; 
 receiving energy usage data accrued at the first and second meters during the print job; and 
 matching energy usage data from the first and second sub-components with event data attributes for assignment of energy usage to the first and second sub-components. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7  wherein receiving energy usage data accrued at the one or more of the meters comprises:
 collecting data from each of the meters prior to operation of each of the sub-components; and 
 collecting data from each of the meters upon completion of operation of each of the sub-components. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8  wherein collecting data from a meter prior to operation of sub-component comprises querying the meter for a start value and collecting data from the meter upon completion of operation of the sub-component comprises querying the meter for a stop value. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 8  further comprising monitoring each sub-component during operation. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 7  further comprising calculating total energy usage during the print job by combining the energy usage data accrued for each of the sub-components. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11  further comprising transmitting total energy usage during the print job to an energy consumption consolidator. 
     
     
       13. A printing network comprising:
 a printer, communicatively, including
 one or more sub-components including:
 a first sub-component having a first meter to track energy usage at the first sub-component during an event; and 
 a second sub-component having a second meter to track energy usage at the second sub-component during the event occurring; 
 
 a controller to receive energy usage data accrued at the first and second meters during the event and to match energy usage data from the first and second sub-components with event data attributes for assignment of energy usage to the first and second sub-components; and 
 
 an energy consumption consolidator, communicatively coupled to the printer, to consolidate energy usage data accrued for two or more events occurring at the printer. 
 
     
     
       14. The printing network of  claim 13  wherein the controller distinguishes between energy usage data accrued at the first sub-component and the second sub-component during the event. 
     
     
       15. The printing network of  claim 14  wherein the controller comprises a meter to track energy usage at the controller during the event. 
     
     
       16. The printing network of  claim 15  wherein the controller calculates total energy usage during the event by combining the energy usage data accrued at the controller, the first sub-component and the second sub-component during the event. 
     
     
       17. The printing network of  claim 13  further comprising a second printer, communicatively coupled to the energy consumption consolidator, including:
 one or more sub-components each having a meter to track energy usage at the sub-component during an event; and 
 a controller to receive energy usage data accrued at one or more of the meters during the event. 
 
     
     
       18. The printing network of  claim 17  wherein the energy consumption consolidator consolidates energy usage data accrued for two or more events occurring at the first and second printer.